Ines Ebner at Northumbria University in Newcastle, UK

In December 2025, I had the great pleasure of visiting Dr Luke Hughes, Patrick Swain, and Adam Mc Donnell from the Aerospace Medicine and Rehabilitation Research Group at Northumbria University in Newcastle, UK.
It was truly inspiring and motivating to gain deeper insights into their exciting work, and to test unique and innovative systems first-hand, such as the Variable Gravity Suspension System (VGSS) and High Frequency Impulse for Microgravity (HIFIm). In the final week, my supervisor Anna-Maria Liphardt joined us, and we had great discussions to refine the research ideas we had developed. This has led to promising and exciting opportunities for new collaborative studies on the mechanobiology of cartilage in different jumping settings.

A big thank you to my hosts and the entire team for welcoming me into the group and introducing me to the city and culture—I really appreciated it.

Special thanks go to my supervisor Anna-Maria Liphardt at Universitätsklinikum Erlangen for her support in every way, to Deutsches Zentrum für Luft-und Raumfahrt e.V. for funding my PhD, and to the Integrated Research Training Group (iRTG) within the CRC EmpkinS – Empathokinaesthetic Sensor Technology, which made this stay possible.